It Wasn't a Choice
by MyCrAzyWorld
Summary: Based off of 1-13-10 episode. I just felt there was so much more that they could’ve done with JaSam. So this is what could’ve been in my story. Before Sam and Jason go riding off into the sunset I think they had a lot to discuss.


**Ok so I know that I have to right to write a one-shot when I have my other story Gone For Good, but this idea just popped in my head and it wasn't going anywhere. SO I promise that now that this is posted I'm back to working on GFG and that the next chapter is coming along nicely. Just wanted to quickly say Thanks to all who read this…I hope you all enjoy!**

**Summary: Based off of 1-13-10 (Wednesdays) episode. I just felt there was so much more that they could've done with JaSam and that was way out of line with what he said to her. So this is what could've been in my story. Before Sam and Jason go riding off into the sunset I think they had a lot to discuss.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own General Hospital or the characters.**

Jason didn't know what else to say about why he had lied so long about the paternity of Jake. He recently started to wonder the same thing himself. "Lucky I am sorry…" But the other man interrupted him.

"Jason, you know what. I'm sorry. This isn't the time nor the place to discuss this." Lucky says running a hand through his hair.

"You're hurting and angry…"

"Yea, but that's no excuse." Lucky says shaking his head. "First I attack Sam and upset her and now you…"

"Sam…!" Jason says, tuning out whatever else he had to say.

"Yea…earlier at Crimson. I said some things…I was really out of line. I really upset her…" But Lucky's words were cut off by the sound of the door opening behind Jason.

"Detective Spencer, the Commissioner would like to speak with you." The officer says before shutting the door.

Sighing Lucky nods his head before quickly looking over at Jason. "I gotta go."

"What about Sam?" Jason asks, watching as Lucky started walking away.

"You should find her and talk to her Jason." Lucky says stopping in the doorway. "She said she forgave me and everything was fine, but I don't know…she still looked very upset." Shaking his head he hears his name being called from the other side of the door. "Again I'm sorry." Lucky says before quickly leaving Jason standing alone looking confused.

Pulling out his phone Jason dials Sam's home first and gets no answer and then tries her cell and gets the same outcome. Sighing he dial the office next and still nothing. Heading back to the penthouse he finds Maxie and Spinelli on the couch. "Have you two spoken to Sam?" He asks without saying hello.

"Why yes Stonecold, the Jackal left the Fair Samantha near the alleys around the Darkly Focused One's sinister abode. She and I had decided that our efforts at this time would be better spent brightening the walls that have for too long been haunted."

"What is Sam doing?" Jason asks confused, looking at Maxie.

"She and Spinelli are spray painting over all of Franco's creepy tags in hopes that covering his work will help everyone recover. Kinda sweet and sappy for Sam…I know, but whatever makes her happy, right?"

Jason didn't know why, but the thought of Sam spray painting over Franco's tags made him smile. "If Stan, Sonny, Carly, or anyone else for that matter calls or comes looking for Sam and I we're both unavailable for the rest of the day. That includes you two too." Jason says looking at them both and waits for their nods of understanding before turning back around to leave. Reaching for his keys, Jason pauses and opens the top drawer of desk and pulls out his motorcycle keys instead. There was nothing more relaxing for him and Sam than a motorcycle ride to clear their heads. It would be the perfect escape to both of them. Now all he had to do was find her.

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"It was never a choice." Jason says with a small shake to his head before leaning down and reaching with one hand to pull Sam closer. The smile on her face that she got when thanking him for choosing her made Jason forget all about his concerns for Franco and thoughts about everything Sonny and Carly had to say. Right here and now it was just him and Sam, and he wasn't going to let the moment go to waste. Pressing his lips to hers slowly Jason can still feel the smile and it just drives him further. Reaching a hand up to cup her cheek the soft strands of her make his fingers itch to run them through and when he feels her hands reach up and grip his arms, he would've taken the kiss a step further. But the sounds of the city around them brought Jason back to reality and he pulls back to look down at her face and he is blown away that she's staring at him with love in her eyes and a peaceful smile on her face, even after she had just been rescued from a psycho's trap. A trap she was in because of him. He knew he didn't deserve her, but was grateful that she was in his life and wasn't about to question it at the moment.

Thinking about Sam in his life reminded Jason of the conversation Lucky and he had when Sam was still missing. The detective had warned Sam against getting involved with Jason and yet here she stood. She was such a strong woman. That's what he loved about her the most…her strength. Jason was once again brought back to reality by Sam tugging on his arm. "Come on, let's go for a ride." She says pulling on Jason's hand again.

Caught by surprise Jason takes a small step, but then stops. "Wait Sam." Jason says unable to resist the urge to talk about that conversation. "I have to ask you something."

"What is it?" Sam asks, confused at the tone in Jason's voice.

"While you were stuck in that box…"

"Jason please don't go there." Sam says holding her hands up to stop whatever he has to say. "I don't want to talk about Franco…"

"No this isn't about Franco." Jason says shaking his head and reaching out to grab one of her hands. "This is about a conversation that I had with Lucky while you were missing." Jason says pulling her closer, staring into her eyes he watches as they cloud over with hurt before going neutral immediately. Which reminds him of the conversation he just had with Lucky at the PCPD, and how the detective wanted to apologize for his argument with Sam earlier…Jason still wanted to know what that was all about.

"I'm sure whatever he had to say wasn't very comforting or helpful." Sam mumbles, the mere mention of Lucky's name causing a small stab of pain in her heart from the memory of his hurtful words.

"Well it really wasn't, but it also didn't have anything to do with Franco…not exactly anyways."

"What did he have to say?" Sam asks confused now.

"He told me about a conversation he had with you. It must've been awhile ago, back when you and I were still…I don't know how to say it…when we were…"

"Reconnecting?" Sam supplies when Jason struggles. She was still a little confused on where this was going. She couldn't recall a conversation with Lucky around that time and had no idea where Jason was going.

"Yea, that works." Jason says with a small smirk. "Anyways…Lucky mentioned a conversation between the two of you where he told you that it would be better if you stayed away from me." Jason said the words quietly, staring into Sam's eyes. He watches as the confusion changes to understanding, before quickly transforming into infuriation.

"Why would he bring that up to you?" She asks crossing her arms over her chest. "Especially at a time when I was being held prisoner by Franco and you didn't know if I was going to be ok!"

"That's exactly why he brought it up Sam."

"Well he was being an insensitive jerk!" Sam says throwing her arms in the arms in frustration. "There you were…probably blaming yourself too…frantically searching for me. And Lucky is throwing it in your face that he warned me something like this was going to happen!"

"So you remember the conversation you two had?" Jason asks rhetorically.

"Vaguely, but yea…the gist of it anyways." Sam says pacing away before coming back to stand in front of Jason. "It wasn't too long after he caught me in the PCPD evidence room. Remember when we got arrested for solicitation? Well apparently that wretched woman who busted us ran her mouth off and Lucky overheard her. He got the rest of the details from Mac about how it was all a misunderstanding and it was just you and I causing trouble. Lucky didn't like Mac's dismissive attitude towards the whole situation and stopped by my and Spinelli's office later that night and he had a lot to say."

Jason remembered the solicitation arrest and he remembered that after that he and Sam had spent very little time apart. "Where was I when this was happening?"

Blowing out a breath and brushing away her bangs Sam shrugs her shoulders. "I don't really know, something about Joey Limbo I think. You went off with Johnny and I went back to the office to get to work and Lucky showed up."

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" Jason asks drawing Sam's gaze back to his.

"Because I didn't think it was important Jason. Why would I mention it when you were so busy trying to find the evidence against Claudia?"

"You were right beside me every step of the way Sam."

"I was, because I didn't want you to have to deal with that alone."

"And yet you felt you had to deal with Lucky alone?"

"It wasn't anything that you could've helped with Jason." Sam says shaking her head. "And I didn't mention it because I didn't think you needed to have Lucky's opinion of our relationship clouding your thoughts."

"Was what he said that bad?"

"No!" Sam says shaking her head, but sighing. "Well…nothing that I hadn't heard before in some form or another."

"I'm sorry." Jason says reaching out and pulling her into a hug. "I'm sorry that you keep getting warned to stay away from me. And I'm sorry that all those people who are warning you keep getting proved right." He felt an anger build inside him at the thought that she kept getting hurt from being with him. And a small dose of fear that she regretted the decision to be with him.

Sam could hear the blame and anger in his voice and it brought up the defensive vibe in her. "Would you stop blaming yourself?" Sam says pulling away to stare up at him. "I chose this, Jason." Sam says reaching a hand up and cupping his face in both of her hands. "I've always known the risks that are involved when I'm part of your life and I've accepted them." Leaning forward she lightly kisses his left cheek. "And that's exactly what I told Lucky when he tried to warn me away from you." She kisses his other cheek. "And even if I could…I wouldn't change my mind." Watching as the fear that had been lingering in his eyes finally leaves completely Sam smiles and leans forward and kisses him fully on the mouth before stepping back. "I'm not going anywhere Jason."

Smiling Jason leans down and kisses Sam lightly on the lips. "I'm holding you to that." He says after pulling back.

Taking a deep breath Sam looks back over her shoulder at the bike. "Is that all?" She asks looking back at Jason. "Can we go for a ride now? Or must we have further discussion on how Lucky really needs to think before he speaks?"

Jason loved the idea of going for a ride with Sam, but he still had something about what Lucky had said earlier that was bothering him. "Not so fast." Jason says putting both his hands in his pockets so Sam wouldn't be able to grab him and pull him towards the bike, like the look in her eyes said she wanted to do.

"What Jason!" Sam asks, resisting the urge to stomp her foot.

"You just mentioned Lucky again and it reminded me of earlier today." Once again Jason saw the flash of hurt in Sam's eyes except this time it doesn't go away as quickly.

"Earlier today?" Sam asks, wondering how Jason could've possibly heard about Lucky's hurtful words at Crimson. The only people there were Lulu, Lucky, and herself and she didn't think either Lucky or Lulu would've told him.

"Yea, Lucky had me come down to the PCPD earlier." Jason says and is confused at the relieved sigh Sam releases.

"Why did he need to see you down at the police station?" Sam asks trying to keep the relief from her voice. Jason didn't know about the incident at Crimson.

"I don't really know, he never got around to his point about the visit. He just started yelling at me about how he should've known better than to trust me and he was just really upset."

It sounded very similar to Lucky's outburst at Sam. "I'm sure Lucky is sorry Jason." Sam says reaching a hand out to rest on his arm, but she was also saying it to herself.

"Oh, I know he is." Jason says nodding his head. "He apologized before I had a chance to leave, that's not why I brought it up."

"Then…why?" Sam asks shaking her head.

"He mentioned that he had seen you earlier and that he had yelled at you too." Jason watched the Sam closely and could see her stiffen and watched as she diverted her gaze from him, blocking his best access into knowing what she was feeling and thinking.

"He told you about that?"

"He was about too, but he got called away. Whatever he said though really seemed to bother him and he said that he could tell it had upset you." When Sam doesn't respond Jason sighs. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

No! Sam silently yells, she didn't want to recall those hurtful words, but knew Jason probably not let the topic drop. "What's there to talk about, Jason? Lucky was upset that you chose me over Lulu and he said some hurtful things, but he apologized for everything right away. So what's there really left to talk about?"

"How bout the fact that whatever Lucky had to say is obviously still upsetting you." Jason says quietly.

"It's not Jason!" Sam says quickly, almost too quickly. "I'm fine."

"How bout you look me in the eyes and say that. And then maybe I'll believe you."

Sighing Sam turns to stare in Jason's face and when she sees the concerned and compassionate look staring back at her Sam couldn't help it. The look was so similar to the one he had when she was suffering the loss of Lila and Hope. She felt the tears slowly roll down her cheeks and watched as his eyes go wide before quickly stepping forward and swallowing Sam into a hug. For a moment she was too choked up to speak and just settled for hiding her face in Jason's chest.

Jason didn't know what Lucky had said to Sam, but for it to evoke such a response from her made Jason see red. Holding her close, running a soothing hand down her back and kissing the top of her head Jason plotted ways to make the detective pay for causing Sam this pain. Feeling Sam stir he looks down into her up turned face and leans down to plant a kiss on her forehead before softly kissing her lips. "Ok…now you're going to have to tell me what that was about before I do something that will cause Diane to earn her retainer."

Sam stays in Jason's embrace and rests her head on his chest. "Jason Lucky was just hurting earlier…"

"That's not helping his case right now Sam." Jason says shaking his head. "I get that he's angry and upset, but that is no excuse for whatever he said."

"Jason…" Sam says trying to pull back to look at him, but he just holds her closer.

"Sam either you tell me or I'll find Lucky and make him tell me." He can hear Sam sigh before pressing her face into his chest and started mumbling something that he can't understand. "Could you say that again?" He cuts off whatever she was saying.

"He brought up again how you made the wrong choice in saving me instead of Lulu…"

"Oh Sam." Jason says squeezing her lightly and kissing the top of her head.

"That's not all." Sam says shaking her head. "I turn around and asked Lucky what he would've done if he had been in your shoes and Elizabeth had been the one inside that box. Who would he have saved if he had to decide and he said it wasn't the same thing because…" Sam stops, recalling the hateful words he said after.

"Because…" Jason asks, feeling Sam tense up again.

"He said that it wasn't the same thing." Sam repeats and takes a deep, fortifying breath. "Because I wasn't a mother and I didn't have children that would wonder why I never came home if something had happened to me." Sam says looking down at their feet.

The last half of what Sam said was harder to understand since she was saying it so quietly and she was looking downwards, but Jason still heard her. He had to mentally force himself to stand there and hold her in his arms, fighting every instinct in him that said he needed to hunt Lucky down and make him pay for saying such hateful words to Sam. To throw in her face her infertility when everyone knew it was her biggest weakness. To remind Sam that Elizabeth was a mother and Sam never would was wrong on so many levels. "I'm going to kill him." Jason mumbles into Sam's hair.

"No Jason." Sam says shaking her head and looking up into his eyes, she wasn't surprised to see the rage burning there. "Lucky wasn't thinking when he spoke, and he apologized right away."

"Sam that doesn't make up for the fact that he…"

"Jason…!" Sam says pulling away to fully look up into his face.

"No Sam!" Jason says shaking his head. "He hurt you and he went too far!"

"He didn't mean it Jason, you and I both know he didn't mean it."

"It doesn't matter…" Jason says staring for the bike.

"Yes it does." Sam says forcefully and grabbing his arm, stopping him from leaving. "Lucky didn't say it trying to hurt me, and he truly looked apologetic after he thought about what he said."

Jason thought back to the look on the man's face when he mentioned he upset Sam, Lucky had looked very sorry and now Jason understood why. "I can't just let this go." He says after a moment turning to look at his bike.

"Yes you can…and you will." Sam says crossing her arms over her chest.

Jason wanted to argue with her. What he really wanted to do was get on his bike before Sam could stop him again and find Lucky. He knew that neither is what Sam needed right now and that's what kept him standing there with her. Because right now what Sam needed was all that mattered. "Are you ok?"

Sam didn't know what had made Jason stay there with her, but she wasn't about to question it. "I'm fine Jason." Sam says while swiping her bangs back, but the stubborn strands just go back to where they were. "Sure Lucky's words hurt, but nothing that I can't handle."

"Are you sure?" Jason asks walking back to stand in front of her, reaching out he brushes the hair out of her face and holds the strands back with his hand. "I know how painful it is for you when the topic of children comes up."

"It is." Sam says looking up into Jason's blue eyes. "But being here…with you…like this. It helps." She watches his eyes shine and she smiles a small smile.

"I love you, do you know that?" Jason says softly.

"Yes, but it's nice to hear." Stepping closer she wraps her arms around his waist. "I love you too."

Wrapping his arms around Sam's shoulders Jason holds her close and presses his lips to the crown of her head. They both stand there for a moment, silent and content in each other's arms. Jason is the first to break the silence. "We have the rest of the day to ourselves, what do you want to do?" He asks leaning down to stare into Sam's face.

Smiling at the fact that they had the rest of the day to spend together and Jason was letting her choose what they did Sam squeezes him tightly around the middle before stepping back to look up at him. "Can we please now go for a ride?"

Jason couldn't hold back his laughter and going with the moment he reaches down and pick Sam up off the ground and his smile grows at Sam's squeal in delight. "That sounds like a great idea." Jason says walking over and setting her down on the bike. Before climbing on himself he un-straps something from the back of the bike and hands it to Sam. "Put it on." He insists when she just rolls her eyes.

"A helmet Jason?" Sam scoffs, but she does put it on.

"I don't want to risk anything happening to you." He says shrugging his shoulders and climbing on the bike. "So get used to it."

"You can be so ridiculous sometimes." Sam says, but knows he probably didn't hear her since the rumble of the motorcycle starting was so loud. Finally having the helmet secured Sam wraps her arms around his waist and squeezes. She never would admit it to Jason but the fact he was concerned enough for her safety to purchase a helmet made her fall in love with him a little more.

**So I know there was a bit of jump from Jason leaving the penthouse to him finding Sam, but I hope nobody minds too much! Thanks for reading everyone!**


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